James Cardinal - Bellis, Alberta
Elder • Métis Knowledge Keeper • Language Champion • Musician
Jim (James A.) Cardinal is a proud Métis man from Kikino Métis Settlement and a citizen of the Métis Nation within Alberta. After a 43.5-year career as a Welder with Suncor, Jim retired in 2016. His deep commitment to community and kinship did not end there — from 2018 to 2023, he served as President of Métis Nation of Alberta – Region 1, where he worked to strengthen Métis voices and uphold relationships grounded in respect, collaboration, and care.
A gifted musician, Jim is widely known for his country and gospel singing. Whether performing with the Nicely Put Together Band — a group he has led for over two decades — or offering songs at funerals and community gatherings, Jim shares his voice in ways that bring comfort, healing, and connection. His music, like all aspects of his life, is an expression of relationally rooted in Cree values.
Jim is also a familiar voice across Alberta as a radio host on CFWE. He hosts a weekday show from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and co-hosts Conversational Cree alongside his wife, Dr. Evelyn Steinhauer every Wednesday morning. This 30-minute segment introduces listeners to nêhiyawêwin (Cree language) in a warm and accessible way, offering words, phrases, and teachings that reflect the beauty and complexity of the language.
For Jim, nêhiyawêwin is not simply a means of communication — it is a way of being. As a fluent speaker, he lives the language in ceremony, in song, and in the everyday moments that hold family and community together. He often says that “language is foundational to all that we are,” and that within the language we are told how to live. His deep respect for nêhiyawêwin reflects his understanding that it is not only spoken — it is lived. The language teaches us how to carry love (sâkihitowin), how to honour kinship (wâhkôhtowin), how to live with a good heart (miyotêhêwin), and how to help one another (wîcihitowin). These teachings guide Jim in all that he does.
While Jim would never call himself an Elder or a knowledge keeper, as humility is a central Cree value, many turn to him for prayers, teachings, and guidance. He understands that nêhiyawêwin holds thousands of years of knowledge, ecological, spiritual, and relational, and that speaking it is a form of resistance, of remembrance, and of hope. Each time he teaches a word on the radio, offers a blessing at an event, or speaks to his granddaughter in Cree, he is keeping that fire alive. Jim lives according to the Cree worldview, which emphasizes balance, relational accountability, and living in good relation with all of creation. He carries with him the teachings of our natural laws: mîyo- wîcêhtowin (getting along with others), mâmahwohkamâtowin (working cooperatively), manâtisiwin andmanâhcihitowin (respect and mutual respect), kîsewâtisiwin (compassion and kindness), tâpwewin (truth and honesty), and tapâtêyimisôwin and ekâkisteyimisowin (humility). These are not just words — they are ways of living that Jim quietly models through his actions.
Residing near Bellis, Alberta, with his wife Evelyn and their granddaughter Kezlee ,who has lovingly chosen to live with her Papa, Jim continues to live in a good way. Through song, language, and service, he honours the responsibilities that come with community, land, and spirit. He reminds us that language is not lost; it is still here, waiting to be spoken, remembered, and lived, and through his voice, it lives on.